Design & details
There is still a significant rise in the number of real estate investments, the primary objective of which is to rent and resell. As a result, the new owner extensively renovates most of the purchased, utilised properties, including the technical content.
The designer generally gives aesthetic and practical suggestions for a specific room or an entire home during the property’s interior design. In contrast, the architect is in charge of engineering responsibilities such as the statics and dynamics of the house. The two professions must work together to complete their tasks to satisfy the deadline and the consumer’s needs.
Rather than attempting to complete the tasks yourself, it is far safer to engage a professional. They are the ones who assist us in realising the home of our dreams because they can help narrow down and implement our thoughts.
They can supply you with practical recommendations due to their knowledge.
Hiring a designer ensures that every detail is professional and that the finished parts blend in with the overall. Ultimately, everyone’s primary goal must be to increase your home’s effectiveness, functionality, and aesthetics to ensure the area’s safe and optimal use.
Is it necessary to prepare for the meeting with an interior designer? And how so?
The answer is yes.
You must collect your requests and inquiries, likes and dislikes. For example, state whether you require a sofa bed instead of a sofa or how many people must be seated at the dining table. If you have a preferred brand, now is the moment to tell us about it.
Consider the budget. How much money are you prepared to spend overall?
Which furniture do you want to keep, and which do you want to eliminate? Please be aware that even if you love that old, chipped chest of drawers, it may not be in accordance with your intended style, and you may need to get rid of it.
The consultation consists of a detailed needs assessment and getting to know your preferences. At this point, it is also addressed which colours, materials, and patterns the interior designer should not use at all and which should! Following the consultation, the planning process begins.
Let’s talk about the filthy lucre!
The plan’s design accounts for more than half of the expense of the visuals. Still, there are numerous other charges to consider.
It is also important to clarify what features the final pricing will cover during the task. The specialists can even remove everything extra for you ahead of time. This not only saves money but also prevents future disappointments and arguments.
I usually break my fee proposal into four phases that my clients can pick from, albeit Phases 1 and 2 go hand in hand.
Phase 1 is Concept Development with space planning. We discuss your needs regarding the area, and I will create 2 versions.
Design documentation is the focus of Phase 2.
We complete all interior design options (fixtures, fittings, and finishes) for the desired space based on the mood board and the version you chose in Phase 1. The design idea and furniture package for your entire home are also included. This phase is completed concurrently with Phase 1 to achieve a unified design.
In case of a new construction or complete remodelling, scaled interior design paperwork, including plans/elevations (at 1:20), fixtures, fittings, and finishes schedule, is provided.
Construction is Phase 3. I supervise the contractors and assist with material purchases if project management is required.
After the construction, Phase 4 is related to installation and furnishing. I may shop for soft furnishings on your behalf and supervise the installation.
Interior designers use many different methods to estimate their prices.
Let’s see some of them!
Billing per square meter
This is the most common method used by interior designers.
This fixed billing rate indicates that you and your designer agree on a fixed amount to be paid for a specific type of work, with no regard to how long it takes you to do it. This can benefit you and your designer since it provides clarity. As a client, you can budget appropriately, avoiding surprises or disagreements over the final invoice.
Billing by the hour
Interior designers can charge between 10-90 Euros per hour. Of course, people don’t always realise this because they hire the specialist on a project basis rather than hourly.
The designer charges you hourly based on their time working on your project. While this can benefit the designer by ensuring they are paid for each hour worked, the hourly charging rates provide certain difficulties.
The designer must correctly and regularly track their time with a dependable timekeeping tool or program. They must also periodically disclose the hours and progress to you and justify their time and worth. They may have less trust in the job because you question their efficiency, quality, or honesty. You also have less budget control because you may not know the project’s entire cost until it is completed.
Commission based billing
In many circumstances, commission-based remuneration is observed when an interior designer works for a corporation. This means that after orders are finished, the specialist can take a percentage of the overall price. This billing is usually used regarding new buildings, company office spaces, or huge houses.
In this situation, the fee for designing a complete house can range from 10% to 40% of the total construction costs.
Almost all entrepreneurs request a specific advance, often between 10% and 15% of the overall fee. This cost aims to protect the designer against damages caused by late cancellation.
In most situations, 1-2 graphic layouts are made so you can choose in which direction you want to continue.
The final pricing is determined by a variety of factors. This can be done per room, per square metre, hourly, with daily billing, per piece of equipment, or with contractor and construction fees included.
However, it is heavily impacted by the interior design, the styles we are considering, and the working requirements. After all, designing a luxury home may involve far more responsibilities and innovative implementation methods than remodelling a room.
